Business Reforms Action Plan Current Affairs

Telangana has topped the yearly state-wise ranking on assessment of implementation of ‘Business Reforms Action Plan’ (BRAP) in 2017. Last year, Telangana was the joint topper with Andhra Pradesh in the ranking.

Telangana with an implementation score of 61.83% was followed by Haryana (54.03%), Odisha (45.70%), Chhattisgarh (45.43%), and West Bengal (44.35%). The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under Commerce and Industry Ministry is the nodal body at Centre for the exercise.

Assessment Report-2017

This year’s assessment includes 372 reforms, up from 340 last year. ‎The broad areas of assessment included online single window system, online tax payment, contract enforcement, paper-less courts, land availability and allotment, obtaining electricity and water connection, tax, labour regulation, construction permits, environmental registration as well as commercial dispute resolution and online systems for property registration.

It also included registration and grant and renewal of licence under Factories Act, approval of plan and permission to construct or extend or take into use any building as factory, registration and renewal of boilers and compliance inspections under various laws.

About State ease of doing business index

In 2014, Government requested World Bank Group to support India’s efforts to enhance India’s competitiveness and increase manufactured exports. ‎DIPP then decided to start similar initiative to promote competitiveness among states by taking cue from World Bank’s “Ease of doing business index.

‎The DIPP hosted website for states to update their performance on pre-identified parameters on real-time basis and prepared a report card on the same. ‎The parameters are assessed by both World Bank and DIPP. Stakeholders, including companies or individuals also gave feedback on portal about improvements made by states on each of those parameters.